ENVIRONMENTAl INVESTMENTS

A predator free New Zealand

Te Manahuna Aoraki

Te Manahuna Aoraki is a huge biodiversity project that will preserve one of New Zealand's most stunning landscapes and its threatened species.

The project will create a vast 310,000 hectare predator free mainland island in the Upper Mackenzie basin and Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park. The area is special to many New Zealanders and is known for its golden tussock land, towering snow capped mountains, high country farms and turquoise glacier fed lakes.

The project will preserve these unique landscapes, securing a safe habitat for endangered species ranging from kea and rock wren in the alpine zone to braided river species like wrybill, robust grasshoppers, jewelled gecko and the world's rarest wading bird - the kakī, black stilt.

The Department of Conservation, NEXT Foundation, Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, Te Rūnanga o Waihao and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki are the project's founding partners. They are joined by high country landowners, and investors Aotearoa Foundation, Jasmine Social Investments, Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC) and Predator Free 2050 Ltd.

A predator free New Zealand

Taranaki Mounga

Taranaki Mounga is an ambitious conservation project to secure the mountain, ranges and islands of Taranaki from pests, and restore and revitalise wildlife. NEXT Foundation has joined with Taranaki iwi chairs, the Department of Conservation and founding sponsors, Shell NZ, TSB Community Trust, Jasmine Social Investments and Landcare Research to fund the first ten years of the project. The project provides pest and weed control over 34,000 hectares which includes Egmont National Park and a small number of volcanic peaks and offshore islands.

A predator free New Zealand

Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP)

ZIP will enhance our native bird life through developing innovative methods of predator control. It is focused on developing and trialling systems to permanently remove invasive predators – rats, stoats and possums – from large areas of mainland New Zealand and secure them against reinvasion.

A predator free New Zealand

Predator Free Wellington

NEXT Foundation has partnered with the Wellington City Council and the Greater Wellington Regional Council to support Wellington’s mission to become the first predator free capital city in the world. The three organisations jointly funded a Project Director, James Willcocks, to get the project underway. Initially Predator Free Wellington is developing a plan to eradicate rats and stoats from the Miramar Peninsula. This area is already possum free and is geographically well positioned for further eradications.

A predator free New Zealand

Cacophony Project

The Cacophony Project is an open sourced research initiative bringing technology to conservation – and helping accelerate towards a predator free New Zealand. The project was founded by serial entrepreneur Grant Ryan - and is developing tools such as heat tracking cameras and sound lures, using artificial intelligence and other digital technologies, to help eradicate the possums, stoats, and rats which are destroying our native forest and millions of native birds and eggs every year.

A predator free New Zealand

Predator Free Community Champion

NEXT Foundation supported Wellingtonian Kelvin Hastie as a Predator Free Community Champion for three years. Kelvin successfully spearheaded the Crofton Downs Predator Free Community project in Wellington, which was followed by a burgeoning backyard trapping network across the capital city – and Wellington City Council and the Greater Wellington Regional Council announcing a joint project to be the first Predator Free Capital City in the world.

A predator free New Zealand

Environmental education

PROJECT JANSZOON – TOGETHER RESTORING THE ABEL TASMAN

Project Janszoon was launched in 2012 aiming to transform the ecological prospects of Abel Tasman National Park by 2042 - the 400th anniversary of Abel "Janszoon" Tasman's landing in New Zealand and the 100th anniversary of the national park. The project team works with the Department of Conservation, the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust, iwi and community to reverse incursions of predators and weeds, restore ecosystems, re-establish wildlife and strengthen community support to this popular national park.

A predator free New Zealand

Environmental education

ROTOROA ISLAND

Rotoroa Island is a predator free wildlife sanctuary and public conservation park in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. The Rotoroa Island Trust’s vision is to care for this island sanctuary where visitors can connect with nature and come to better understand conservation, while respecting the Island’s heritage as a place of recovery and renewal through its owners The Salvation Army. NEXT founders Neal and Annette Plowman secured a 99 year lease for the island in 2008 and embarked on a large scale restoration programme – removing predators and planting 350,000 native trees so it is now home to endangered species like the kiwi and takahē. Rotoroa Island is now open to the public for the first time in 100 years.